Once Down There's Only Up
by Tale of A Lost Writer
Summary: Lorelai Gilmore and Luke Danes are both left feeling Pathetic and Rejected by there Exes, but maybe if Pathetic people came in pairs like them, being pathetic wouldn't be so pathetic after all.
1. Pathetic Ness

**A/N: Okay everyone this is my first Fan Fic Ever. So please R/R tell me if I'm doing a good job, or if you have any tips of how I can improve my story they're appreciated. I hope you enjoy! **

Chapter 1: Pathetic

**Lorelai**

God she felt pathetic, so pathetic. Not just the, "I watched an 8 hour ABC family marathon which consisted of movies all in 2 star range such as 'Cruel Intentions 3,' Pathetic," but extremely, truly pathetic. I mean sure she didn't exactly pour all her heart in soul into the relationship, but at least she tried to make it work, I mean she really did try whether you wanna believe it or not. She put up with the fact that he was from the world she ran away from, she put up with the fact that he was her father's business partner, she put up with the fact that her mother hated him (well okay that wasn't that bad), but hell she even put up with the fact that she would never be able to wake up in the same bed as him, because of all of the strange quirky things that man had going on, yet her efforts to make this relationship work didn't seem to matter to him. The fact that she'd put her and her parents relationship at risk for him didn't seem to matter at all, because as soon as something of _his_ was at risk he was willing to give her up just to get back at her father.

I mean she even gave him the time to come after her, the way she paused slightly when her hand reached for the handle of the coffee shop door, but no, she could've swore she didn't even hear the stool he was sitting on squeak and turn to watch her leave as she left the small café in Hartford.

And that crushed Lorelai Gilmore. It really did. Even though most people would consider her totally into herself, and extremely confident, she was actually just as insecure as every other girl in the US. I mean did he ever even care about her in this first place? And if he did then how could he possibly go against every American love story ever created, and let her just walk away so easily.

_He's probably already forgetting about me, _she thought_, erasing me from his memory, from his little black book, or wait he had one of those palm pilot things, that I never understood. I mean first chivalry is out of style, then big hair and now black books! What's this world coming to! But anyways he's not supposed to be forgetting me so easily, and I'm not supposed to feel this pathetic, he is. I mean isn't it somewhere in the break up hand book that the dumpee is the one who sits there wallowing over his dumper. _

With that last thought in mind she turned off the highway to the town that was more of a home to her then the one she grew up in. Her main intentions were to drive straight to the house, after the incident in Hartford, and sit back for one of her famous Lorelai Gilmore wallow sessions, but the thought of going home to an empty house with no Rory, no man, hell not even a goldfish depressed her, so she slowed the car to halt once she reached the gazebo and climbed up the creaky wooden stairs.

She considered throwing a rock or two at Luke's window so she'd have some company, but she didn't have the energy to sit around arguing with him to just hang out with her for a while. Out of all the guys in the world there was something about Luke that seemed different to her. She had to admit that she did find him pretty damn attractive, but that wasn't it. There was just something different about him that she couldn't exactly put her finger on, but whatever it was she liked it. Sure, she considered the possibility of going out with him every once in a while, but in the first place, she didn't want to ruin there friendship, and if the second place if he was interested in her he probably would've asked her out already, right? He probably found her repulsing anyway. This little lonely spinster woman, who talked too much and had horrible eating habits.

She needed her confidence back, she needed coffee, she needed Rory (who of course was probably too busy for her), and she also just needed someone who cared enough about her to actually come after her, but she didn't have any of those things, which left her with nothing else but the fact that she believed her hair looked truly amazing curled, and the fact that she felt pathetic.

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**Luke**

He sat there in his lonely apartment, above his lonely diner, in his lonely lounge chair in the corner, drinking about his 3rd beer by himself, which only lonely men do by the way, as he wondered if anyone in the world could be more of a lonely loner then he was. He hates to admit it, because he always considered himself one of those very masculine men who didn't need somebody else's company to make them happy, but he never imagined his life to look this pathetic in a million years. He always pictured himself being in love by 28, married by 32, kids by 35, and happily ever after by 40, but things didn't go exactly as planned for him.

You see he was actually in love by 30, pining by 31, a kid, well actually it wasn't even his kid, by 37, lost the kid by 38, married to someone he didn't love by 39, oh yea and as of a couple weeks ago he was divorced by 39 too… Wait you can't forget the fact that he still loved the first girl that he did when he was 30… Well, anyways, as you can see, his life was basically a mess and he had no idea what to do with it.

He sometimes wondered if he actually would die alone like his uncle, despite what Lorelai said. Lorelai… He hated the fact that everything in his life always came back to her, but he couldn't help it. She was always running through his thoughts during the day, and swimming through his dreams at night. Sometimes in the diner he would just stare at the door praying that the creamy blue eyes of the gorgeous brunette he loved more than himself would appear, but most of the time it would just end up being Kirk, or Taylor, or Patty, or Babette, or Gypsy, or Andrew, or Jim, or Sally, or Abraham Lincoln, or anyone else, but the one person he wanted to see more than anything. It was extremely sad and wrong on about 20 different levels, but even sometimes after him and his ex-wife Nicole would be lying next to each other at midnight, he would find himself dreaming of Lorelai, dreaming that she had the title Nicole did, dreaming that she wanted him as much as Nicole wanted him, and as much as he wanted her.

But that's why his dreams were only dreams, and nothing more, because Lorelai Gilmore was as interested in him as he was interested in hooking up with Patty. He took another deep chug of his beer emptying it and with that he threw it against the window shattering the bottle into a million pieces, just like his life was shattered; only he would later pick up the pieces again. He only wished someone would one day do the same for him.

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Lorelai heard a crashing sound from above her and looked up to see something smashing against Luke's room window.

"What the…" She whispered to herself before standing up to try and get a better view.

Luke's window now lay shattered in several places and the first emotion to come over her was panic. She grabbed her purse from the gazebo bench and hopped down stairs. She reached for the 'hidden' key on the diner's door ledge, let her self in, and sprinted up the steps using more physical exertion then she planned to use in a lifetime, but as she opened the door and her eyes fell onto the man before her, the deep breath that she was letting out caught in her throat.

"Luke…" She whispered softly, but to her statement, or should I say question, there came no response.

**A/N: Okay so do you like it? I was gona place my first TBC right here but then I just typed this and figured it was pretty stupid to just not post what i alreayd have so here.**

Lorelai rubbed her face and moved closer to the ghastly sight. So her eyes hadn't deceived her after all, she thought as she looked down at the slouching Luke in the leather lounge chair facing the wall. He was wearing and old faded brown t-shirt, gray sweatpants, and woah, not even his baseball cap, but even though she'd rarely ever seen him in such normal un-lumberjack like clothes, that wasn't what frightened her. It was more of the fact that she had never seen someone look so miserable in her life.

It was also pretty frightening that he seemed so oblivious to her close presence as well, so she whispered a little bit louder.

"Luke?"

His face seemed to abruptly snap out of the trance it was in as his eyes began wandering around the room in every direction besides the one in which she was located, but when those hazy blue's finally found her they seemed to soften a little bit.

"Lorelai?" He said suddenly standing up, and almost knocking her over. "Oh wow Lorelai's here! Cheers to that, boys!

He grabbed his beer and took a long chug before waving it in front of her face as he unsteadily made his way towards her.

"What are you waiting for? Grab a beer from the fridge. Join the party!" said Luke in a long drunken slur.

"Uh Luke are you drunk?" It was more a rhetorical question but she just had to ask.

"Luke?" he said with a little offbeat chuckle. "No no no no, not Luke, not anymore. Luke was a wimp! Luke let girls mess with him and get him all… uh messy! Yeah messy! From now on, No! For all eternity I wish to be called Captain James Tiberius Kirk! But you my lady… I don't know I just like you, so I will give you the honor of calling me Captain Kirk," and with that he gave her a slight bow.

Lorelai just stood there looking perplexed and using every fiber of her being not to crack up on him, because now was simply not the time. Later, of course, she would have to mock him for all eternity with the new trekkie nick-name he had supplied her with, but now he was a drunken mess, and he needed his best friend's help. So she moved slowly and cautiously towards him, aware of the way he was looking at her as if he just might pounce at any moment.

"Captain Kirk, huh? Well Captain—

"Kirk. He corrected.

"Yes, yes Captain _Kirk_, of course. May I ask why you decided to throw this party for the uh, boys tonight." _Dirty!_ She thought to herself

"Of course, of course! You see today is the day that Luke, that sorry sad Luke that let the girl he loved step all over him finally dies!" he shouted slamming his fist on the table for emphasis. "Today is the day Captain Kirk is born!" He yelled falling to the side and knocking it over.

_So this is over Nicole_, Lorelai thought as she bent down to pick up the coffee table. _I knew she was no good for him. I just knew it! My Luke would never get this drunk to the point that he would start requesting to be called trekkie nick names. No my Luke would never-- wait my Luke…_

"From now on, I will no longer be put to shame by girls," he continued "If I want one I'm going to go out and get her! No! I'm not gonna just stand there on the side and watch her be with other men. No Captain Kirk would never let the girl he loved get engaged, and damn it! As soon as that wedding got called off he wouldn't just rejoice. No! he would go out there and fight for her! Yes, and he would win!

_Wait a second what's he talking about? He never told me about any other men Nicole was engaged to? I thought it was only sockman… He must not be talking about Nicole. Did Rachel ever get engaged and run out on the guy. I don't think she did. I thought the only girl in Star Hollow history to do that was… Me._

Lorelai suddenly felt as if she was going to faint. She felt the color drain from her face as she lifted her head and looked deep into his eyes of Luke Danes or should she say Captain James Tiberius Kirk. That's when she saw it. That's when Lorelai Gilmore finally looked passed the wall she had put between them all these years and looked deep into his eyes, to not just see a need for friendship bubbling under the surface, but a need for her.

"You have pretty, pretty eyes," he mumbled softly when he realized she was starring at him, "but why are you starring at me?"

"Because I never have before," she said. "Can I ask you something Captain Kirk?" she asked not yet fully sure of what she was going to say.

"You can ask me anything."

"Uh well I was just wondering does this girl, you know the one who ran away from her engagement, does she happen to have a name."

"Oh yea, I think she does actually. It's an amazing one too. Very, very pretty. Not many people have it, but… hey wait a second!" He suddenly started to laugh again. "Didn't you tell me your name was Lorelai when you got here?"

"Uh no actually you called me Lorelai."

"Yeah but its Lorelai, I mean you said it was Lorelai right?"

"Uh actually again you said it was Lorelai."

"Oh I did, huh? Well I mean you told me when you came in it was Lorelai though right?"

She sighed and decided to just let it go. "Yes, I said my name was Lorelai, Why?"

"Well this girl I'm telling you about her names Lorelai too!"

She felt like she might die on the spot. He was actually like this because of her. All those months of going around saying how bad Nicole was for him, and how it would tear him apart in the end when it was really her fault that he was so screwed up.

_Maybe it's another Lorelai. Maybe I'm just so overly conceited that I'm not thinking of all the other Lorelai's living here in Star Hollow… uh yeah I'm pretty sure I'm the only one, besides Rory of course. Maybe he loves Rory! Yeah Rory! And then Jess just got in the way and—Okay why am I even thinking of that as a possibility? Can you say Gross! Lorelai you need to just face the facts. This crazy town was right after all._

With that she looked down at Luke who was now walking around his apartment trying to balance a frying pan on his head. She suddenly felt herself at a lost for words for one of the first times in her life, but she also had no idea how she was going to help her drunken friend.

**A/N: And here is where I've decided to place the real TBC**

**Please Review soon if you like it and want me to continue**

**If you don't like it reviews are still appreciated especially if they contain ways I can make the story better :):)**


	2. Three Card Draws and Alter Egos

**A/N: Okay so here's next Chapter.**

**Thank you to the people who R/R**

**I hope you enjoy**

**This is probably the only chapter I'll write this close to t****he proceeding one**

**Because schools about to start and I'm gonna be pretty busy again soon.**

Chapter 2: Three Card Draw, Alter Egos, and Wonder Woman

"I win again!"

"What do you mean you win?"

"I won Squares in Fair."

"How could you possibly win when you have an Ace, a two, and a five? I mean I know I don't exactly know how to play three card poker, but still this is not Big Daddy, and you're not Julian; which means you don't win," said Lorelai in one big breath, before taking another swing of her beer.

It had been about and hour since she arrived at his apartment, to find this unique species of drunken Luke. After a few minutes of debate he had convinced her to have a beer or two.

_Let's face it, _she thought_, he's not the only one who needs a beer tonight. Plus maybe this could help me to get the thought of Jason out my head. Kind of like a little wallow night, only this way I don't have be alone._

Since then Lorelai had slipped out of her dress into a pair of Luke's Boxers and an oversized flannel.

They settled themselves on the floor with a deck of cards, but since Luke was basically just way over his head in alcohol, it had been pretty hard to find a came to play. Eventually theypicked the game ofthree card poker, because neither of them new how to play, and this way they couldn't butcher the rules, because they didn't know them (Luke's logic of course.)

"Wonder Woman just face it. I AM the Master and Commander of all three card Poker, and if there's ever a movie about me lets not get Russell Crowe, okay? He's just one of those over paid ass holes who think they can do whatever they want, because there Rich and Australian."

Lorelai Laughed to herself. So maybe she had convinced him that Lorelai was just a cover up, and that her secret identity was non other then that of Wonder Woman, but when else would she have a chance to get Luke to call her that.

"Fine! You won this one, but next time you won't be as lucky." Lorelai said picking up all the cards again.

"So you want another hand? Wow you're very brave Wonder Woman."

"Hence the name… Hey Luke—I mean Captain Kirk" She started quietly.

"Yep"

"Did you love her?"

"Who, Russell Crowe?"

She chuckled lightly, "No, I mean Lorelai."

For the first time in the night he seemed to get a little bit serious, and that miserable face that he had on when she arrived returned.

"I'm sorry," she said immediately wanting to take it back the moment she saw his reaction. "I shouldn't ask you something that personal. I shouldn't--

"I love her more then I've ever loved anything. So much that it hurts, because I know that I don't deserve her."

As drunk as he was, whenever he thought of Lorelai he could always come back to reality. Pretty ironic saying she was as far away from reality then any one he knew.

"She's the most beautiful thing I know, and I don't just mean attractive, even though I could go on and on about that too. I mean, she has this gorgeous hair, and these two beautiful blue eyes. I mean whenever she smiles at me I feel like I might just pass out, but I can't, because that means I'll have to stop looking at her. I couldn't live without looking at her… If only she needed me too…"

With that he put his head down, and she saw a sadness come over him, one she couldn't bare. How could she do this to him? All he ever did was love her. Not just puppy love, but he truly did love her. She could tell by the way his eyes looked when he was just talking about her. I mean sure he was her best friend, and sure she didn't want to mess anything up, but what if it was worth it. What if there only chance of true happiness lied within each other. Maybe they didn't suck at relationships. Maybe they just weren't in them with the right people.

Lorelai reached over and put her finger under his chin lifting his head so he would look at her.

"Of course she needs you. She needs you more then you'll ever know…" She looked down at the ground for a second before asking her next question. She just had to know. "…But what makes you think she doesn't need you. I mean you've never asked her out on a date. Why haven't you if you love her?"

"Because," he replied simply "she deserves better"

"But you're completely wrong! I mean why don't you get it? You are better, you're the best actually. No guy has ever been there for her like you have. I mean, Chris was always gone, or disappointing her and Rory; Max just wasn't right, and Jason basically traded her in for revenge, but you... Things were always different with you. You're always going to be there for her. I mean between fixing her house, feeding her, giving her coffee, loving her daughter, and most importantly being her best friend. You know if she doesn't understand how good you are for her then that's just her lost!"

_Wow did I actually just say that… Yeah I think I did… So uh yea. What exactly did I mean by that? Do I have a thing for Luke or something? No! I couldn't possibly have a thing for Luke because well he's… I mean he's! …He's just what I said he is. He's the only guy who's ever been there for me… Plus you can't forget the fact that he loves me. I mean he really loves me… aw someone loves me. Luke Danes loves me. My best friend in the world loves me. The guy I'd do anything for… Maybe a relationship with him wouldn't be so bad. I mean its Luke. My Luke. Wow if I went out with him every time I do think or say MY Luke I won't have to feel guilty about it because he will be MY Luke. Aw… I want him to be my Luke. _

"Hey Luke I—"

But her voice trailed off when she saw a snoring Luke curled up in the corner. She thought about waking him up and maybe tucking him in, but it was 1:00 and he probably needed his sleep about now. She let out a soft sigh before grabbing her purse and deciding it was better to save her new thoughts about him for the morning. Tonight she would go home and get some sleep and save this whole mess for later on.

She bent down and kissed him softly on the head before whispering "Good Night Captain Kirk, and good luck with the crazy hang over you're gonna have tomorrow."

With that she opened the door and starred back at her best friend Luke, only this time she didn't see just Luke. She saw her Luke.


	3. Hang overs and regrets

**A/N: Wow I'm so sorry for taking this long to post again. It's just school just started again for me and I've been crazy busy. I'll make it up to ya'll some how. SORRY! **

**Chapter 3: Hang overs and regrets**

**Luke**

A pool of relief flooded over Luke.

_Oh thank god! It was just a dream. See Luke this is exactly what sleep deprivations and a few beers before bed does to you. It makes you all loopy. Like Taylor around Christmas time… Okay don't you **ever** compare yourself to Taylor again! But thank goodness. I guess I won't have to avoid Lorelai for all eternity after all. _

He sat up a little and looked over at the clock. It read 6:30.

_Ah my head. It looks like asking Ceaser to open up wasn't such a bad idea after all. I need Advil. Do I own Advil? I don't think I do. _

He rubbed his head before looking down at his night table to see a bottle of water and three Tylenols on a napkin.

…_Whoa that's weird. Did I do that last night? Well I wouldn't be that surprised I was definitely toasted. Wait is that a note? A note? But who would---_

Luke trailed off as the realization smacked him in the face. It hurt almost more then his hang over. Yet there was no denying it. He knew that Garfield Stationary anywhere. When he saw the chicken scratch handwriting there was no doubt in his mind that the note was from no other but the infamous Lorelai Gilmore.

_Shit._

He immediately got up from his bed and started pacing. Hang over now long forgotten.

He had to remember everything he said to her. Everything she said to him.

Luke Danes spent the rest of the morning pacing his apartment and cursing at every word he remembered.

**Lorelai**

_An Advil a day keeps the hang over away. _Lorelai thought with a small smile.

_So I guess it's time for act 268 of the Luke and Lorelai saga. So let's see… Where did we leave off this time? Oh yeah that's right. In the previous episode: Luke admits to Lorelai that he has some type of crazy crush on her… Well actually he says he's like madly in love with her. Lorelai comforts him saying every little thing's gonna be alright (sorry but no Jamaican accents included unless you buy the season 4 DVD). Anyway… okay it's time for you to be serious. What the hell am I going to do? He loves me. Do I love him? Well of course I love Luke I'll always love Luke but do I LOVE Luke? Love and LOVE are totally different things. Well okay I don't LOVE Luke… but I could. Whoa there Gilmore! You're getting way ahead of yourself. Do you really want to risk getting hurt again? I mean I can handle Chris leaving or Jason leaving, but this… This is huge! He's your best friend! Damn it where the hells Rory when you need her. Probably off doing Collegey things with all her collegey peeps and forgetting about mommy… Would it be so bad to date Luke though? I mean you know him. You're comfortable around him. His gut thing totally works in this situation. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all._

She then got up and walked towards the bathroom to prepare for her busy day.

**2 Weeks Later**

She really hated him. She was pretty sure she had never been this mad at him before. How could he do this? How could he possibly think this was the right way to go about their situation? Avoiding her like an 8th grader avoiding his ex-girlfriend.

Every time she entered the diner, the kitchen would get extremely busy and he would have to take over. Or he would be running low on blueberries and spend an **hour** in Doose's looking for them. Or maybe he suddenly decided to hang out in the storage room for **45 minutes**.

Today was the last straw. The way he made eye contact with her for a second before dodging behind the curtain and heading up to his apartment.

She marched right past all the starring eyes, pass the counter and pass the curtain hiding the staircase. As soon as she reached the door she banged her fist on it without any hesitation.

"Luke Danes you better get your ass to the door right now!"

She really did have enough of this. He was acting totally immature. Was he seriously not man enough to face what he had said to her? If so maybe she didn't want to give them a shot after all.

Inside the apartment Luke stood up from his chair.

_Okay so I should probably get the door. I mean she sounds extremely pissed and it might be smart not to mess with her mind and just stay in here. Aw Geez, what the hell am I gonna say to her. She probably already thinks I have no balls. Did I really think I could just avoid her forever? Well here goes nothing._

He opened the door

"Hey," he said calmly. "What are you doing up her."

"Cut the bull," she snapped. "What's going on Luke? Is this how it's gonna be now. You avoid me every time I walk into the diner. I mean should I just not come anymore? Are you just too uncomfortable around me now that it would make this whole thing better if I just stopped coming? If that's true I really have lost all respect for you."

"Lorelai I---"

"No Luke you had your chance to talk and you chose to ignore me so it's my turn. Luke I want to know the truth. The other night when you told me you loved me did you mean that? Do you like me more than just this coffee addict that gives you half your income? Do you want to be with me?

"I—

_Of course I want to be with you. Do you have any idea how miserable these two weeks have been for me? I miss you so much. I miss talking to you. I miss your horrible eating habits. I miss the way your face lights up every time you take a sip of coffee. I miss that perfume you're always wearing, the one that smells like lilies. And did you seriously just ask me if I meant what I said when I told you I loved you. Of course I meant it! I've loved you since the first day we met._

--Cant."

Lorelai felt herself crumble.

_He doesn't want to be with me… He doesn't love me. Whoa do I feel stupid. No wonder he's been avoiding me. It was just a drunken night for him. When am I gonna learn that you can't believe anything people say when there drunk. You really screwed up this time Gilmore._

She felt the tears as they began to form in his eyes. There was no way she could cry in front of him so without another word she headed down the staircase and walked as quickly out of the diner as possible.

Meanwhile Luke stood there starring out the door praying for her to come back so he could tell her how much he loved her, how much he wanted to be with her, but she didn't

_You really screwed up this time Danes. _

_**A/N: Okay so i realize that my timing is messed up and that two weeks later from the episode that Lorelai and Jason broke up was when sheopened the Inn, but just go with me on this one and lets just plug two extra weeks in haha**_


	4. Suprises and I miss you's

**A/N: I told you I'd make it up to you. Two Chapters in the same day :)**

**Chapter 4: Suprises and I miss you's**

Lorelai was depressed.

She missed Rory. She hated that they had to plan things as simple as phone conversations. She hated that they were too busy to talk to each other. She hated that she felt like she was losing her best friend.

She missed being able to sleep. She hated that the all she ever thought about was the Inn. She hated waking up in the middle of the night with a million things on her mine. She hated that she was starting to hate the Inn before it even opened.

She actually missed her parents not fighting all the time. She hated that they were… whatever they were. She hated that they wouldn't look each other in the eye. She hated that they she didn't know what was going on with them anymore.

Worst of all she missed Luke/Coffee. She hated that she was too nervous to go to the diner. She hated that Luke and her were avoiding each other. She hated hating Luke.

She poured another cup of sucky coffee into her mug. There was no way she could live off of this stuff for the rest of her life. She had tried everything to make it taste better. She even added a little nutmeg as Luke once recommended but it still was gross.

No one made coffee like Luke did.

Luke was in his truck heading back home from Hartford.

He had just attended a meeting with his accountant, which of course left him in a bad mood. He tugged on his tie before tossing it into the back seat of his truck.

_So let's see what's going on in my life right now. Lorelai hates me. I'm newly divorced. Lorelai hates me. I have no idea what happening with Liz or Jess or Etcha-Sketch man, and oh yea Lorelai hates me._

He drove by the Dragonfly to see Lorelai's jeep parked near the entrance.

_She's probably going crazy by now. The test run is in two weeks, huh? I wonder if I'm still invited. I did RSVP. She probably doesn't want me there. I guess I shouldn't go… too bad… I actually wanted to. You know be there the day all her dreams came true._

He parked in his normal spot in front of the diner and entered his business. He saw Caesar in the corner and nodded to him before saying "I'll be down in a minute. Just want to change real quick."

"No problem Boss."

Luke opened the door to his apartment already unbuttoning his shirt.

He looked around his place and something felt different. Almost as if someone else was in the room. His eyes circled the apartment before he spotted a body sleeping in the corner. He jumped up so fast that he almost lost his balance.

_What the---_

Then he realized who it was. How could he not. That leather Jacket, the gelled hair, the book lying on his chest.

Jess.

_Okay so what the hell's he doing back? Maybe he's already sick of that father of his. Maybe he wants to go back to school… psh fat chance._

He approached the snoozing Jess in the corner and shook him a couple times. His eyes slowly blinked open as he took Luke in.

"Um Luke… hey…"

"Hi… sorry to be blunt but what are you doing here?"

"Let me guess good ol' Lizzy didn't tell you."

"Tell me what"

"I figured she wouldn't. Okay so you might want to get comfortable. You know grab a chair."

"I think I'll be fine. What's going on?"

"You know if I were you I really would sit down first."

"Jess…"

"Sorry it's just I don't want to be responsible for the major head wound you might get after you faint."

"Jess what the hell's going on!"

"Okay, okay don't freak out. Save that for after I tell you.

"Tell me what?"

"You remember TJ right?"

"Did you actually expect me to forget Mr. Etcha-Sketch?

"Well Liz and TJ are getting married."

Luke fell back in to the chair behind him

"Please tell me you're joking."

"Nope, and trust me I was just as freaked as you."

Luke pondered for a moment before remembering that he had found Jess asleep in his apartment and still didn't know why he was there.

"So wait a second you still haven't told me why you're here."

"She used the guilt trip. Told me that I never went to any of her other weddings and she really wanted me to at least be there. I told her no but then she just started crying, and well I'm not that great with tears."

"Yeah but that still doesn't explain why your in my apartment."

"Their having the wedding this week in the square and I don't feel like getting a hotel and there's no way in hell I'm staying with her and TJ, because I actually care about keeping my sanity so she told me that she would convince you to let me stay here. From that 'what the fuck' expression on your face when you saw me I'm guessing she didn't yet."

"Well you guessed right…"

"Um so are you cool with this. I mean I'll leave."

"No, no it's fine… Um I kinda got to change and head back down. You know take care of the diner."

"Cool."

"So I guess I'll see you later."

"I guess."

Luke couldn't believe that he just had to break up a fight between his nephew and his soon to be brother and law (gross) at TJ's bachelor party.

Jess sat down at one of the diner tables. He clasped his hands together and sat patiently pretending to prepare for the lecture Luke was going to give him.

Luke on the other hand didn't feel like yelling at him. Jess was a grown man. If he wanted to act as immature as TJ then so be it, but it was no longer his responsibility. Instead he decided talk about something else.

"So why don't you want to walk your mom down the aisle?"

"I just… I don't know it's too much attention."

"Too cool?"

"Basically, but I just don't feel like this whole crazy town of yours seeing me again."

Luke sat down in the chair across from him.

"What are you talking about? I know you don't give a shit what anyone here thinks."

"Yeah I know it's just… I don't want to see… Well I mean I don't feel like having to deal with certain people."

"Certain people? What are you…? Oh…"

"Yeah."

"But you haven't even seen her in ages."

"No I saw her a couple months ago when I was here."

"I didn't know that."

"Yeah well I did… So what about you?"

"What about me?"

"You hook up with the coffee vacuum yet?"

"Lorelai?"

"No Rory… Okay disturbing image."

"Why the hell would Lorelai and I be together!"

"Geez, calm down. I just figured…"

"Well you figured wrong!"

"What the hell's your problem?"

"…Well her and I aren't exactly talking?"

"Why… I know this probably seems weird that I'm asking but you have no idea how TV deprived I am."

"Just were in this whole mess. She asked me if I loved her and I said no."

"Why'd you do that? No offence, but your not exactly double 0 seven with your feelings about her."

"Because I just… it wouldn't work out…"

"Okay you know I hate manly bonding and all but take it from someone who knows. Tell her you love her or else you're gonna regret it someday."

Luke sat there deep in thought for a couple minutes.

"Well I'll leave you to your pondering," Jess said heading towards the stairs. "If you see Liz, tell her I'll walk her, okay?"

He then disappeared behind the curtain leaving Luke lost in thought.

Lorelai woke up the next day at 6:45 to the sound of a loud automobile pulling out of her driveway.

She moved towards her window to see Luke's truck pulling away. She furrowed her brow for a second before convincing herself that she had just made up the image in her head. How pathetic was she. She was actually seeing his car in her driveway now.

An hour later she was clean and ready for another long day at work.

She decided to just get coffee from the Inn because hers wasn't worth it. As she opened the door she noticed a small bag on her doorstop.

But it wasn't just any bag. It was a Luke's bag.

She ran into her kitchen and tore it open like a little kid at Christmas time.

_A MUFFIN! Its muffin day isn't it? How could I ever forget muffin day? Wait is that coffee? Aw man it is coffee! Its cold coffee but coffee none the less._

She poured it into a mug and slipped it into the microwave. The aroma soon filled her house and she smiled.

_Wait a second, as much as I'd wish it were true, Luke bags don't just fall out of the sky and land on people doorsteps in the morning. How did this… Oh, so it was Luke's Truck this morning._

She opened the bag hoping to see some type of note and surely enough there lying in the bottom was a small piece of paper

**Lorelai,**

**I'm sorry for being a jerk.**

**I miss you.**

**-Luke**

**PS. Come by the diner later. I'd get on my knees and beg but I don't want to ruin my rep. **

She smiled, put the note down and bit into her muffin.

Maybe she would pay him a visit after work.

**A/N: How'd you like it?**


	5. Broken Coffee Pots

**A/N: Okay so here's the next chapter. Cliff Hanger Alert! Cliff Hanger Alert!…But mainly because I ran out of time. I apologize if this causes any distress.**

**Chapter 5: Broken Coffee Pots**

It had been a long day.

The construction workers were feeling lazy. Sookie was freaking out about the test run menu. Michel was more irritable then usual, and one of her contractors was now going through a divorce, which meant he wasn't exactly the easiest person to talk to anymore,

Yet as she exited the Inn the stress of the day seemed to simply float away.

She got in her car and turned on the radio. Bohemian Rhapsody was playing and she decided it had been way too long since she had acted out her favorite _Wayne's World_ moment.

As she began singing along with her best European accent attached, she started going over Luke's note in her head for about the 80th time that day.

**Lorelai,**

**I'm sorry for being a jerk.**

**I miss you.**

**-Luke**

**PS. Come by the diner later. I'd get on my knees and beg but I don't want to ruin my rep. **

_So when he says I'm sorry for being a jerk does he mean that he's sorry for saying he can't be with me or that he's sorry that he made me cry? Man I hate when people do this. Write statements with about a hundred possible meaning attached. Why can't he just come out and say what he wants? Well duh! It's Luke! International lumberjack of mystery. Well I guess I'll find out tonight. I mean he said he wanted me to stop by, but what if that's one of those things with about 100 different meanings too… "Come by the diner later." Well okay I guess that kind of speaks for itself, but still I'm not sure how I should act around him anymore. I mean I did just go up to him and ask him if he loves me. I wish I had a second opinion on all this… _

Lorelai suddenly pulled out her cell phone and pressed down hard on number 1.

"Yellow or Gold with the green dress," a familiar voice said into the phone.

"Gold of course. So Rory I need your opinion."

"You need my opinion? So you mean you're not even going to ask where I'm going."

"No."

"Mom, for the past 19 years of my existence you have been the nosiest person I know next to that old spinster women who used to live behind us with the crazy binoculars, and now you're going to tell me you don't even want to know where I'm going that would require me to wear one of the most eloquent dresses I own."

"Well if you weren't gonna call me—"

"What has happened to you! Are you so into your own existence now that you're not spending every waking moment thinking about me?"

"Well at the moment…"

"I am so not hearing this! Isn't your job as a mother to think about me and my needs at every possible second of the day?"

"Yeah, whatever Rory it's just…"

"This is such a disappointment M—"

"I think I want to date Luke!"

"…"

"Uh Rory are you there…? Rory… Remember when we had that talk when you were four about how much I hated silences and that if you stayed quiet for more then 5 seconds after I ask you something, Ursula was going to rise up from the sea like in the Little Mermaid and steal your voice away…? Well that applies in this situation as well if you have any doubts…"

"You…"

"Uh not exactly what I wanted to hear but that's a start."

"Want to date Luke?"

"Well, I don't know… would that be totally weird?"

"Our Luke!"

"You think its weird don't you…?"

"No I don't think it's weird I just think it's… Well it's our Luke…"

"I know…"

"So you like him?"

"No Rory I hate his guts. I'm thinking about chopping off his head and sticking it on top of the Chuppah he made me for all of Stars Hollow to see."

"Sorry it's just… this is wow! I mean you like Luke, and Luke likes you and—"

"A-buh-buh-buh, there lays the problem my dear."

"What problem? There aren't any problems."

"Luke doesn't like me that way, and this time I have proof because I asked him if he wanted to be with me and he said no."

"What do you mean he said no?"

"Rory he doesn't have to wan—"

"Mom, I'm sorry but are you seriously that naïve! Luke's loved you forever. I can see it every time he talks to you and if for some reason he did say that it's probably because he thinks it's not really what you want, or he's just nervous."

"Rory…"

"No Mom, don't Rory me and don't deny what's true. If you really like him and really want to be with him you need to go up to him and tell him straight on. Trust me mom he loves you…"

"But what if?"

"No what if's! And I refuse to talk to you about this until you talk to him!"

"But Rory?"

"No Mom!"

"It's not about the Luke thing."

"Then what is it?"

"Where are you going that requires you to wear the most eloquent dress you own?"

"Oh ha, Press Gala for the paper. Aw no! I'm late! Gotta go! Fill me in when you talk to him tonight, because I know you won't be able to resist!"

click.

Rory, her own flesh and blood had just refused to talk to her.

This left Lorelai with only one remaining choice.

She had to go to Luke's.

This decision came at just the right time for her because she was now nearing the Luke's Diner that she hadn't been in for approximately 2 ½ weeks now.

For some reason she actually felt kind of nervous.

Since when did Luke make her nervous?

Luke was jumpier then usual.

His hands shook as he carried plates. His eyes flew to the door every time the bell above it rang. Whenever the coffee pot was nearing empty he rushed to refill it.

He had decided the moment he left the note on Lorelai's doorstop that this was the night.

This was his last chance to get the girl. Not just any girl but

THE girl.

That was if she decided to come in.

_Oh please come in. Why didn't I just say yes when she asked me! I mean it was right out there! All I had to do was give a simple response. Yes! Yes. Yes. Yes._

"Yes!"

All the eyes of the fellow townspeople were suddenly all in his direction.

_So now you can say it_

"The damn Patriots won last night. YES!" he yelled. A couple of guys in the corner cheered and soon the rest of the room followed.

_Good save. But anyway now that I missed my chance I have to smoothly go into this myself. But I can't scare her away I have to be cool. Yeah like Cool hand Luke cool._

"Ding!" rang the bell above the door.

And Luke and the coffee pot were now suddenly on the floor.

"Are you okay sweet heart," Patty said kneeling down to give him a lift.

"Yeah just slipped," he said his face turning red.

"Here let me get some of that coffee off of you," said Patty as she began wiping him off/sticking her hands in places they don't belong.

"Uh Patty I think I got it!" Luke said picking up the remaining pieces of the coffee mug.

"Okay," she replied giving him a sly wink. "But you be careful, dear. Wouldn't want you to damage any of those goods would we?"

"…Uh trust me Patty the goods are all perfectly safe."

"Dirty," a new voice suddenly hollered across the room.

He turned around to see where the familiar voice had came from and once he did, he dropped the pot on the ground again.

**A/N: Okay so know what's really weird that I realized about this chapter. I keep like accidentally doing these little rhyming things. It's really weird and before I edited this there were a couple more but I took them out because they were bugging me. Haha. Hey how about we play a game. First person to pick out all my rhymes wins! Ha yea just kidding. Anyways how'd you like it? **


	6. Remember the turkey legs?

**A/N: I apoligize again for the cliff hanger. If you want to cut off my head and stick it on top of a chuppah I understand.**

**Chapter 6: Remember the Turkey legs**

Luke stood their starring at her for a while. Making sure she was really there and he wasn't just day dreaming again.

It wasn't until Lorelai spoke that his trance was broken.

"So… uh are you gonna pick that up? I'm not sure but I think it's in the coffee addict handbook that if spilled coffee is on the floor for more than 5 minutes I have to lick it up with my tongue before someone steps in it. I mean I would do it if it's in the handbook and all but the thing is I just brushed my teeth with that new crazy crest herbal mint stuff and well I don't want to ruin it."

She was rambling, but what else could she do. It was one of her only mechanism for nervousness.

"No… no I'll take care of it in a minute."

An awkward silence filled the air.

_What to say,_ thought Lorelai,_ what to say, what to say._

"Can I have some coffee?"

"Coffee? Oh coffee! Yeaaah coffee! Of course! Let me go get that. I'll get Caesar to take care of this mess."

As Lorelai sat down at the counter she watched Luke walk towards the back room to get Caesar.

_So this isn't weird, right? No it's perfectly normal. We're a little nervous but I mean who wouldn't be in a situation like this. I mean after a while everything will be perfectly back to normal. No of course this isn't weird!_

"Do you like Turkey legs?" said Luke abruptly.

_Well okay that was a little weird. "_Uh yeah I like turkey legs," said Lorelai with a nervous chuckle.

"Well you remember my sister Liz right?"

_Where the hells he going with this? _"Um yes I recall meeting her…"

"Good… good."

Another awkward silence.

That was it for Lorelai. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Come with me," she said grabbing his arm and tugging him toward the curtain hiding the staircase.

"Lorelai wha—" but they were already halfway up the stairs.

She opened the door pulled him inside shutting it behind her.

"What the hell was that about!" Luke yelled as he began rubbing the fingernail imprints on his wrist.

"Luke I don't like this. I don't like us not talking. I don't like us being nervous around each other, and I hate the awkwardness! I miss our flow. Our banter about nothing. Our little arguments. I just miss… well I miss… you!"

"I missed you too," Luke said quietly.

"Well then do you think we can at least get things back to normal?"

Luke seemed to be in deep thought for a few seconds before he looked back up to meet an intense stare coming from Lorelai Gilmore.

_This is your shot buddy. Don't Blow it. _"Yeah I think we could… but the thing is I don't want things to go back to normal… I know what you're thinking and no I don't mean I don't want to be friends anymore I just. I don't… Well I don't think we should be just friends… Lorelai when you were yelling at me up here the other day and you asked me if I wanted to be with you I said no… That was the biggest lie I ever told in my whole life. Of course I want to be with you. All I've ever wanted was to be with you—"

"Luke…"

"No, no I'm not done. I don't want an answer now. I don't want a yes and I definitely don't want a no… just… you said you like Turkey legs and you remember Liz right?"

"Uh yeah… I still have no idea what that was about but—"

"Liz is getting married on Wednesday. She's having the wedding right here in the square. Kind of a renaissance theme thing with turkey legs and people all dressed in goofy costumes. And well… I think you're working yourself too hard and could use a little break… So um… Would you like to go the wedding with me?"

"Really?" Lorelai said with a smile plastered on her face.

Luke swallowed hard_. God, why does she have to be so damn gorgeous? _"Yes really," he said quietly.

"Well in that case I would love to go with you."

"Yeah?"

"Yup, but you know I could really use that coffee around now." She said smiling again

"Your coffee of course," Luke said returning the smile before heading towards the stairs. Lorelai followed.

"And pie!"

"Pie's not good for you."

"But I want Pie!"

"You can't always get what you want"

"You get what you neeeed," she sang.

"Not funny"

"Oh come on it was a little"

"Nope"

An hour later a non-nervous, pie filled bellied Lorelai got into her car.

_That was nice_, she thought satisfied that there good ol' fashion banter had returned to them so easily.

_Aw he asked me to a wedding… Wow Luke asked me to a wedding… And I said yes… I said yes! I'm going to a wedding with Luke! I'm going to a wedding with Luke! Whoa, I'm going to a wedding with Luke… So what does this mean? I mean he told me not to give him an answer so what is this? Is this some Luke pre-dating custom that he goes through with all his ladies. His ladies? Am I one of Luke's ladies now? I think I am. Man I need to talk to someone. Rory! I can call her now!_

She then flipped open her cell phone and pressed down on number one again for the second time that day.

Sadly there came no answer.

_She's probably at that Gala thing. I guess I'll have to try her again later but wow! I'm going to a wedding with Luke… Things are certainly changing around here. _

_**A/N: I know its short but I'm telling you. I'm so freaking busy!**_


	7. Gum anyone?

**A/N: Brace yourself because this chapters a biggie. Sadly I don't mean long by that it's just big. You'll get it when your done.**

**Chapter 7: Gum anyone?**

Lorelai lazily slumped into her house that afternoon.

She felt happy. Content.

Luke had put all his feelings out on the table for her and for once she felt like he wasn't hiding anything.

_Man I wish I could talk to Rory right now._

And as if on cue her cell phone began to ring.

_Whoa maybe Rory and mines telepathic abilities are finally kicking in._

"Hey hon."

"Mom oh thank god you're here!"

The moment that panicked statement left Rory's mouth she knew something was wrong.

"Rory? What's going on? Are you hurt or something?"

"No—"

"What did the evil Yaley's do to you?"

"Nothing mom, but I'm going to need you to calm down—"

"Man I knew I should of never let you run off to preschool! I should have locked you up in your room and forced you to watch movies about germs so you became a 21st century Howard Hughes."

"Mom!"

"I'm sorry… Tell me what's going on."

"Okay, what I'm about to tell you might freak you out a little, but whatever you do please don't because I don't have much time."

"What the hell do you mean you don't have much time!"

"Mom, that's the freaking out I'm talking about."

"Okay. I'm sorry. Continue."

"Well when I went to that press Gala in Hartford, a small uh incident occurred. And well… brace yourself mom… I'm in Jail."

"You're… you're… IN WHAT!"

"Here come the fireworks."

"How the hell did you get in jail!"

"Mom listen, I just really need you to pick me up right now."

"Rory… I'm kind of waiting for an explanation here!"

"Listen Mom, you know how we used to always joke around about prison being all luxurious and filled with sofas, and plasma screens, and Cops re-runs. Well it's not, and believe it or not they really do say you have five minutes."

"What jail is it," she said immediately jumping into logical mode.

"Hartford District."

"You need bail."

"100."

"I'll be right there."

"Wait mom…"

"Yeah?"

"Uh do you think you could possible well um bring another 100?"

"For what?"

"Well Jess kind of needs bail to…"

--------------------------------------------

Lorelai exited the jail with her lips pursed and a stern face, as a slumped over Jess and Rory followed.

_How did this happen. Rory. My beautiful amazing smart daughter got arrested for sneaking out into a security closet and loosing her virginity! I mean I thought the what was a big deal but the why totally blows it out of the park! Loosing her virginity! What happened to all those sex talks! I mean I know she's in college but she always said she'd tell me first! How could she do this and I mean out of all the people she had to loose it with it just had to be Jess! Jess, oh my god Jess! Luke's nephew! LUKE'S Nephew! Whoa I can't breathe. I think I'm actually having trouble breathing. Okay so this is awkward. What do I say to them? I think I'm supposed to say something. They're looking at me! Why are they looking at me! I think I should say something."_

"Gum anyone?"

She heard quiet murmurs of no coming from the seat next to her so she figured it was better if she dropped Jess off and saved the talking for Rory.

_What am I going to do?_

_------------------------------------_

"Is it okay if I just drop you off here and you explain the whole thing to Luke? I mean I already called him and told him I was getting you just—"

"Yeah… yeah. It's fine. Um thank you for… yeah I better go." And Jess scurried inside to get away from the awkward situation.

Rory was starring straight ahead when Lorelai turned to look at her.

"So do you want to get this conversation done now or when we get home?"

"Home, definitely home."

"Okay."

The drive home was probably the quietest one the two girls had ever been through. As they approached the house each of them both let out a deep sigh at the same time. They quickly turned to look at each other frightened by the coincidence and then turned there heads quickly forward again.

"So um how about we talk out here? I mean get this out of the way as quickly as possible," said Lorelai in one big breath.

"I agree…"

"Rory what the hell happened?"

"Jess."

"Well yea, I can kind off tell by the smudged lip stick all over you face."

"Mom…"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry… This just isn't easy for me."

"I know… He needed someone to talk to because well he just found out some crazy news and he heard you and Luke talking about the Press Gala thing I was at so he came to find me and we went to the security room to just talk and well somehow I ended up kissing him and… well Bam! Then well apparently the alarm went off and the cops found us and… Yeah."

Lorelai swallowed the lump that had formed her throat. _Wow this is weird. _"So uh were you… safe?"

"Yes."

"Okay well that's good… Rory what does this mean? I mean this is the same guy who broke your heart. Who told you he loved you and just left! He bailed on you twice Rory!"

"I know…"

"Then what the hell are you doing having sex with him!"

"Mom, he's changed…"

"He's changed!"

"Yes he's changed!"

"Well wow you guys must have done some incredible talking if you already realized that "he's changed"!"

"Mom, God! This is exactly why I didn't want to call you! Because I knew you'd act like this! He loves me Mom! He really loves me and I love him! I trust him mom I can just tell! He's changed mom! He's changed!" By now Rory was on the verge of tears.

"Whoa… Honey I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted like that," she said rapping her arms around her daughter. "I'm sorry. I just. I wished we could've talked first."

"Me too."

"Just promise me no more security rooms okay?"

"Okay."

"Wait what did he have to tell you."

"Well…"

----------------------------------

"Jess what the hell were you thinking!" hollered and enraged Luke.

"I- I don't know…"

"I can't believe you! I mean if you did one thing to hurt. I swear one thing!"

"I didn't hurt her! I would never hurt her! I love her for Christ Sakes so will you get the hell off my case!"

"Get the hell of your case!"

"Yeah!"

"Jess why the hell were you even going after her in the first place?"

"You so don't even wanna know the answer to that."

"Uh like hell I do!"

"Fine it was because of Liz!"

"Liz what the fucks she got do with this?"

"Oh Luke, your going to be in for a hell of a surprise with this one!"

"Then tell me!"

"Liz isn't my mom!"

"…Liz isn't want?"

"Liz isn't my mom?" Jess shouted his voice cracking.

"She's not your… then who is."

"My real mom apparently dumped Jimmy when she found out she was pregnant but died in child birth. Liz was dating Jimmy at the time when he found out about me but my nutcase of a father ended up splitting leaving me with someone with no relationship to me whatsoever!"

Luke stood there silent.

_All these year… All these year! And Liz isn't even his mother. Oh I'm going to kill Jimmy! I'm gonna kill him! Liz was doing the right thing after all._

"Jess I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry. I'm through with this! I'm through with her!"

"Jess."

"No don't Jess! She lied to me."

"She raised you!"

"And you see how well that turned out!"

"She gave it her best shot."

"I know it's just… I killed my mom…"

"You didn't kill your Mom."

"Yes I did. I killed her. If it wasn't for me she's still be alive."

"Jess you can't look at it that way… you just can't."

"I know. That's what Rory said… Luke I love her."

"I know you do."

"And I would never hurt her."

"I know that too."

"We were safe."

"Good."

"Well um… Are we good?"

"Yeah… uh… Are you still going to the wedding tomorrow?"

"I don't know. I guess. What about you. You and Lorelai are going right."

"Wow… I don't know anymore."

"Oh yea… Sorry If I messed that up for you…"

**A/N: So what do you think? Too soap opera or what? I just really wanted Jess and Rory together its just I thought Luke and Lor would be kind off gross saying there all kina related.**


End file.
